Out of Control
by PhoenixFeatherQueens
Summary: Before PC... Peter is fighting again and Edmund goes to help. Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia!
1. Fight

**Out of Control **

The shouting came from outside the shop were Edmund was getting a few things for his mother. He finished what he was doing as quickly as possible before leaving the shop and looking down the street. Only a few feet down the street there was a fight. He knew that his brother was involved, over the past few months Peter had gained a rather awful reputation. Edmund sighed heavily and went to help the taller blond boy. While Peter's reputation had suffered greatly from his sudden bad behaviour, Edmund didn't have a reputation to ruin, so he helped his brother as much as possible. Putting down the shopping bag he attacked one of the boys who was attacking his brother. After suffering several blows to the head he heard the soldiers blowing their whistles and then felt the other boy being pulled off of him.

"When you going to learn, boy? You keep like that and you're going to end up in the army!" The soldier was shouting at Peter. "I don't want to see you again! And I don't want to be breaking up your fights." He glared at Peter and pulled out his notebook. "What's your name? I'm writing you up." Peter was silent and glared at the soldier a moment. "You will tell me, boy, or I'll lock you up the night."

"His name is Peter Pevensie." Edmund spoke up. Peter looked at him with hate filled eyes. "I'm his brother Edmund."

"Pevensie, eh?" said the soldier with a thoughtful tone. "The sons of Arthur Pevensie and Helen?"

"Yes, sir," said Edmund respectfully. He really didn't want his brother to get a record, but with his current attitude that was likely.

"Hmmm..." The soldier thought for a moment. "I'm not going to arrest you, this time, but if I see you causing trouble again I will." The soldier looked away from Peter and turned his attention to Edmund. "You look like you have more sense than your brother. I would suggest that you spend less time with him and more with your studies. You have potential, unlike him."

"I will keep that in mind, sir. Thank you." Edmund wouldn't even consider leaving his brother like that. He hoped that Peter knew that, but he wasn't sure.

"You boys better go home before your mother worries. Get going." He barked before turning and walking away. The brothers remained were they were standing until the soldier was around the corner. Edmund picked up the shopping bag and sighed. Peter had yet to look at him.

"Traitor." Peter hissed darkly when he finally looked up. Edmund felt his heart stop as he looked at the raw hate and disgust in Peter's eyes. In that moment Edmund realized that Peter truly believed that he would abandon him if it would serve him better.

Edmund didn't look at his brother. "You are my brother and my King. I will stand by whatever you do, even if it leads to death." Without staying anything else he started to walk home. It was only then that he noticed there was a cut above his eye that was bleeding and his face was badly bruised. At that moment it didn't matter though, what mattered was that Peter hated him.


	2. Home

**Out of Control**

Susan and Lucy were in the kitchen cooking supper together. For the past several weeks their mother had been working late so the two girls were left to do most of the cooking and the cleaning. Neither girl minded it very much; they were glad to help mother. "Ed had better get here soon." Susan went to the window and looked down the street.

"Do you think Peter will be home tonight?" Lucy asked Susan softly. Susan looked away from the window and saw the sad expression on her little sister's face.

"I don't know." Susan said honestly. The two girls looked at each other for a moment before returning to the kitchen. There were still some things that needed to be done before dinner was ready. It was another twenty minutes before they heard the front door opening.

"Sorry I'm late." Edmund wasn't facing his sisters as he took off his coat and hung it in its place by the door. "I have a little trouble on the way home." He turned around and looked at Susan and Lucy. They both gasped at the state his face was in.

"A little trouble?" Susan said in disbelief. "Honestly Ed!" She took the shopping bag from him and sighed.

"Was Peter fighting again?" Lucy asked as she helped Edmund sit down in one of the kitchen chairs. Edmund winced when she said Peter's name. "What did he say this time?" Lucy was always the more observant of the siblings. She had a way of knowing when they were upset or worried about something.

"It doesn't matter." Edmund's voice was sad and broken. "I don't think Peter's coming." He let Lucy clean up his face while Susan finished making supper. They were silent for a long time. That was becoming more and more common. When their mother was home they made an effort to act like normal children, but when she was away they didn't see the point.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lucy asked again when the three were sitting in the kitchen finishing some work for school. She had put down her History textbook and was looking at Edmund carefully. Susan followed suit and put her English essay away.

"There isn't really a lot to talk about. Peter is so angry all the time. If he doesn't clean up his act he is going to be forced into the army. The soldier who broke up the fight today was going to have him locked up for the night." Edmund looked away and tried to keep his face composed. There was no need to upset his sisters anymore than they already were.

"I wish Aslan would let us back." Lucy was pretending that she didn't know something else was bothering Edmund. "Peter needs Narnia."

"We all do," Susan said softly, "but we have to accept that we're here now. Besides, we don't even know if we are going back."

"Aslan wouldn't abandon us. We have to trust him and be patient."

"You always know what to say, Lucy. Thank you." For the first time all day Edmund smiled at his sister. It was slightly ruined by the fact he winced in pain. Lucy smiled widely and picked up her book again. They weren't going to talk about Peter tonight. Not one of them wanted to talk about their brother; it was too painful.

Lucy looked over the top of her book at Edmund. He was concentrating on something, but it wasn't his mathematics homework. Something had upset him, and Lucy would bet her crown it was Peter. It was clear to her that Edmund didn't want to talk about it. She would wait until tomorrow to ask again. It would do no good to have two brothers who were angry.


	3. Dream

**Out of Control**

By the time Peter got home it was past curfew. He entered the house as quietly as he could. The house was dark and his siblings were all in bed. Peter was glad because he didn't want to have to deal with the accusation in Lucy's eyes and the anger in Susan's, and he didn't even want to think about Edmund. He didn't know why he was so angry at them, especially his brother. It was so easy to lose control now; the smallest things set him off like a firecracker. He didn't mean to be so cold and at times cruel.

Peter sat down on the couch in the living room and looked around. The room was very dark; as his eyes adjusted he could see the silver frames of pictures on the coffee table. He picked up one picture and tried to make out the four figures in the frame. It was too dark to see, but he knew the picture well.

The Professor had taken it sometime after they came back from Narnia. They were having a picnic by the stream that was near the back of the property. He was leaning against an old maple tree laughing at Edmund and Lucy who had fallen onto the ground after tripping over the picnic basket while Susan tried to keep a straight face and scold them. In the picture they were so happy, and they were so close. It wasn't long very long after the picture was taken that they returned home. And when they returned home things changed.

Something about the Professor's House made Narnia seem so close. In London the magic seemed to fade, and at times Peter wasn't even sure that it was real at all. His anger came mostly from feelings of abandonment. He didn't understand why he had to come back. Peter loved Narnia and he never wanted to leave that place.

Sighing heavily he got off the couch and went into the kitchen. Sitting on the table was his supper along with his mother's, she still hadn't returned home. It didn't take Peter long to eat and then he just sat at the table. Despite thinking about how much he needed to change his attitude, it wasn't enough, at least not at the moment.

Putting his dishes in the sink he washed them before going as quietly up the stairs and into the room he shared with his brother. Edmund had his back to him and was pretending to sleep. Peter could always tell whether or not his siblings were really asleep, they all knew that.

The brothers were lying in their beds thinking about how awful things had gotten. Neither boy wanted to disturb the silence. Edmund was upset, he loved his brother and he wished that he knew that. Peter felt guilty but wasn't about to do anything about it. Peter also knew that no matter how he felt then, in the morning he would be just as angry as he had been for ages. Edmund knew that there was no sense holding his breath; Peter would be Peter until something happened that would cause him to rethink his life. Edmund hoped that someone wouldn't have to die for that to happen.

It was a long while before either of them fell asleep. When Peter went to sleep he dreamed...

_It was cold and he was having trouble seeing. When he looked around he saw that he was in some kind of cave or cavern. There was a little light coming from a torch that was in the wall several meters ahead of him. Walking forward he saw that the cave was really a stone corridor and there were many unlit torches on the walls on either side of him. Taking an unlit torch from the wall he lit it with the one up ahead and walked down the corridor. It was damp and smelled awful, the smell got stronger as he walked, but he didn't turn back. At the end of the corridor there was a huge door made of a heavy dark wood. With some difficulty he opened the door and entered the chamber; it shut with a thud behind him. In the chamber there were three figures encased in ice. Taking a closer look he saw that it was Susan, Lucy, and Edmund. Dropping the torch to the ground he ran forward. He tried to get to his siblings but they kept getting further away. When he looked at them he saw that Lucy wasn't breathing and Susan was too pale. But Edmund was the worst; his face was covered in blood and there was a deep cut across his chest. As much as he wanted to help them they kept getting further and further away until suddenly they vanished._

Peter woke up covered in sweat. With a terrified gasp he sat up in bed and saw his brother standing over him. "You alright Pete?" Edmund asked with concern in his voice. Peter looked up at his brother stupidly for several seconds. "Pete?"

"I'm fine." Peter laid back down on his bed and glanced at the window.

"You were screaming." Edmund went back to his own bed and sat down.

"I'm fine." Peter repeated, more trying to convince himself than his brother. He tried to remember why he was his dream had scared him so much, but he couldn't remember. It was something about being cold, there had been ice, but he didn't remember anything else. Ignoring Edmund he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.


	4. Help

**Out of Control**

The sun was getting high in the sky when Peter finally dragged himself out of bed. He grabbed some clean clothes out of his dresser and looked around the room. Rubbing his eyes he left the bedroom and went into the bathroom. After a quick shower he dressed and got ready to start the day. If was funny, he mused, he took care to look his best in the morning, and when he came home he always was a mess.

In the kitchen Edmund was reading the newspaper when Peter finally came downstairs. Neither of them spoke; Edmund was thinking about last night and the previous day. Something had really upset his older brother, his curious side wanted to know what that was. He knew he couldn't bring it up though, that would be the quickest way to make Peter angry. Edmund didn't want to admit it, but sometimes his brother's temper scared him. It was really only a matter of time before Peter flat out attacked him, his only hope was that Susan and Lucy didn't find out. He was still positive that Peter would never hurt the girls.

Peter entered the kitchen and got himself a piece of bread with honey. He looked at Edmund and then turned his attention elsewhere. "Where did Susan and Lucy go?" He asked suddenly. Edmund looked up at him in shock.

"Um... they went to visit Mrs. Stanley down the street. Her husband and son died recently." Edmund said before he continued to read the paper. Peter tried to remember who Mrs. Stanley was but came up blank. Edmund understood Peter's confusion. "Mrs. Stanley went to school with mum. She lives in the apartment above the shop on the corner. Their house was bombed during the Blitz." He said without looking up from the newspaper.

"Oh." Peter finished his breakfast and left the kitchen. Edmund put the paper down and sighed heavily. Things were getting tenser between them. He didn't think there was a thing he could do about it. It was Peter's turn to make an effort. And Edmund knew that Peter wouldn't do a thing. A few minutes later Edmund heard the front door open and then shut. For a few minutes he remained sitting at the table, but then he stood up and looked at the front door. Peter's jacket was missing as usual. Edmund wondered where Peter went during the day, but then thought he was probably better off not knowing.

It was early afternoon when Susan and Lucy came home. They were quiet as they removed their jackets and shoes. "Mrs. Stanley is falling ill." Lucy said to Edmund when they all sat in the living room. "She looks so frail. It's horrid."

"Is there anything we can do?" Edmund asked even though he knew the answer. There was no money or extra food to help anyone with. Susan and Lucy shook their heads.

"I hate being so helpless." Lucy said after some silence. "In Narnia we did everything we could to help everyone who needed it. I don't like being a child again! I can't do anything anymore!"

Edmund moved from the chair to the couch beside his little sister and hugged her. "Lucy, just being there helps people greatly. Everyone loves you. You always know what to say to people when they're upset. You can do a lot."

"Thank you Edmund." Lucy said softly. She smiled a little and got a thoughtful expression on her face. "I have an idea! We should go and visit people in the hospital! There are so many soldiers who don't get any visitors!"

"That's a great idea Lucy." Susan said with a smile. "We'll have to ask mum first though." Lucy nodded and then the three siblings fell into comfortable conversation. They made plans to go visit people in the hospital and to visit Mrs. Stanley again. For once they didn't mention Peter.


	5. Alley

**Out of Control**

He pulled on his too small jacket and opened the front door. When he left he slammed it behind him, even though he didn't really mean too, this time. It was warm outside, warmer than it had been in a couple weeks. He didn't really need his jacket. Shoving his hands in his pockets he started walking down the street in the direction of the park.

"Pevensie! Long time, no see, where you been?" A well build boy about Peter's age came out from an alley between two houses. He had dirty dark hair and very tanned skin.

"Nowhere." Peter said emotionlessly. "Where's your crew?"

"Davis is all jacked-up and Harder is locked up overnight. The others are busy." He shrugged and looked around the street. "I'm going downtown, care to join?"

"Sure Jenks." Peter walked with the other boy down the street. They ended up in their usual hangout, an alley that was to the back of a corner drugstore. There were already a few other boys in the alley smoking.

"Hey Jenks, Pevensie! Heard you was in a fight again!" A thin boy with longer-than-normal red hair jumped off the low wall. One side of the alley was the back of the drugstore building, and the other was a low stone wall against another building.

"That's right." Said Peter, he didn't take his hands out of his pockets. "Winters was asking for it."

"You beat up _Winters_? He's a pansy!" The redhead laughed, along with the other boys who heard. Peter didn't smile or laugh with them. "But his sister is ace." The other boys nodded in agreement before returning to whatever they were doing.

"So, how's stuff at home, Oakham?" Peter leaned against the wall of the drugstore. "Hey, you have a cigarette?" The redhead nodded and passed him one. Peter got a light from someone else relaxed.

"You know me dad." The redhead jumped back onto the wall and sat down. "He was a little rough. This war ain't helpin'." Oliver Oakham's father wasn't sent to fight because he had a bum leg, and he was an alcoholic. Sometimes he beat his children.

"Right." Peter nodded and then was silent.

"So why'd you beat up Winters?" Oakham asked, the pair was ignored by the rest of the boys. "You don't beat up no one without reason."

"He attacked me first." Peter took another drag of the cigarette. "Didn't like how I was looking at his sister." Oliver laughed and started smoking as well. "You were right, Grace Winters is one fit ace." When Peter finished his cigarette he looked around. "I'm getting a drink at the drugstore, you coming Oakham?"

"Sure." They left the alley and went into the drugstore. The owner was watching them carefully the whole time. It was a known fact that the boys that hung out in the alley shoplifted whenever they felt like it. For once they paid for their drinks and sat down at the counter. "Look who it is!" Laughed Oliver suddenly, Peter looked in the direction his friend nodded and saw the girl they had been talking about.

"Good afternoon Miss. Winters!" Said the drugstore owner to the pretty girl, she smiled warmly at him.

"Good afternoon Mr. Cuthbert." She continued to smile. "I need some painkillers for my brother. He broke his nose." Her smile fell a little.

"I'm sorry to hear that Miss. Winters." He gave her a small bottle of painkillers. "Will he be alright?"

"I'm sure he will be fine. I just have to stay home and take care of him while Mary has a few days off." Grace smiled and paid for the drugs. "Thank you very much Mr. Cuthbert. Goodbye."

"One more thing, Miss. Winters, how did he break his nose?"

"There was a fight." She said sadly.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Have a lovely afternoon."

Grace turned to leave and saw Peter and Oliver sitting at the counter. Peter caught her eye and she glared coldly at him before leaving the drugstore. Oliver laughed at the expression on her face. "Looks like little miss perfect can be a tiger. Who would have known?" Peter was silent as he watched Grace through the window. She walked across the street and around the corner out of sight. For some reason knowing that he broke Winters nose upset him.


	6. Hospital

**Out of Control**

The smell of antibacterial cleaning products assaulted their senses as they entered the overly white building. Inside there were many people hurrying around; they too were dressed in white. It was obvious that everyone was busy and had a purpose. Lucy felt very out of place wearing her worn blue dress, but on the other hand she was wearing more colour than anything else in the room. "Can I help you?" A tall and rather heavy woman wearing a white nurse uniform stopped in front of Edmund and Lucy.

"We were wondering if we would be able to volunteer to visit the soldiers here, Ma'am." Edmund said politely.

"Go to the second floor, ward three, and find Ms. Winters. She's in charge of the volunteers." The nurse said to them before continuing on her way. Lucy and Edmund quickly climbed the two flights of stairs to the second floor. It was a little harder to find ward three because it was down several corridors. When they finally got to the ward they found Ms. Winters easily. She was the only woman in the ward who wasn't dressed in white.

"Ms. Winters? My name is Edmund Pevensie. My sister Lucy and I would like to help, we just don't know how." Edmund spoke for the pair again.

"Volunteers! Wonderful!" The woman said cheerfully. "It's just about lunch time and there are several soldiers in this ward who need a little help eating. I can start you with that and then you can read to the blind." She quickly called someone else over to them. "Grace! This is Edmund and Lucy Pevensie. Show them where the trays are and then introduce them to Quinn, Reynolds, Kilby, and Yale."

"Yes Mother." Grace waved for the two Pevensies to follow her. "I am Grace Winters. It is a pleasure to meet you." She said a little coldly, it was clear she didn't mean it. They followed her to the elevator shaft where a trolley filled with trays was waiting. "This is where the kitchen staff leaves the trolleys. We are a little off schedule, wards one, two, and four have already collected their trolleys. This is also where we leave it when we are finished." She started to push it in the direction of the ward. It was clear the trolley was heavy.

"Allow me, Miss. Winters." Edmund said calmly, he took the trolley and pushed it the remainder of the way to the ward.

"Thank you." She said in surprise. Edmund turned to look at her and paid careful attention to her mistrustful eyes.

"I take it you are acquainted with my older brother." Lucy caught on. "I apologize for whatever he has done to upset you, but please don't hold it against us. We aren't at all like him."

Grace was quiet a moment. "Then I am sorry. I suppose you can't choose your family. Come on then, I have to introduce you to the soldiers you will be assisting." She introduced them to four soldiers near the end of the ward. Two had lost their arms, one had broken one arm and lost several fingers, and the last soldier had broken both arms. When the volunteers were finished making sure that everyone had eaten Edmund and Lucy helped Grace collect all the trays and then Ms. Winters returned the tray to the elevator shaft. "Now we have to go to ward four to read to the blind. Lucy, I don't know if you want to come with us, we have to read the newspaper." Grace looked at the younger girl.

"I don't mind, Grace." Lucy said with her usual wide smile. "I just want to help. These men have given so much for us, reading the newspaper is the very least I can do."

Grace watched her a moment before turning away and leading them down another corridor to ward four. "You are wise far beyond your years, Lucy Pevensie." Lucy and Edmund shared a look before following her. It wasn't the first time that someone had commented on their wisdom and maturity, and they were certain it would not be the last.


	7. Alcohol

**Out of Control**

For the first night in weeks Helen Pevensie came home early from work. She had been working in a factory that supplied the army with parachutes and uniforms; recently some of the machinery had been malfunctioning. For the next few days there would be mechanics doing routine maintenance and therefore the factory would be closing early. At home Helen waited for her children to return from their days adventures. Glancing at the clock she realized that Susan should have been home a quarter of an hour ago, and that her two younger children should have been walking in the door. Helen wasn't yet worried, with the war travel was taking longer. There was a good chance that the trains were late. Continuing her work cooking dinner she looked at the clock face every few minute, but it was another half hour before she heard the front door opening. Instantly the house was filled with multiple voices; Susan, Edmund, and Lucy had all arrived home safely. They hanged up their coats and took off their shoes before coming into the kitchen. "Mum!" exclaimed Lucy in surprise when she saw her standing near the stove, "I didn't expect you to be here!" Quickly the little girl ran to hug her mother.

"Did something go wrong at the factory?" Susan asked softly, she immediately began to help by setting the table.

"There were a few problems with the machinery that needed attention. It's being taken care of, I'll be going to work as usual tomorrow morning." She stirred the pot on the stove. "Where is Peter?"

The three siblings looked at each other and tried to avoid their mother's eyes. "We don't know." Edmund said quietly. "He doesn't come home until late. Sometimes he doesn't come home at all."

Helen turned around and faced her children quicker than anyone would have thought possible. "What!" She shouted, "I knew the boy was acting out, but this is too much!" Anger was clear in her face and voice. She seemed to be waiting for them to say something else, but when they didn't she turned back to the stove. "I don't know what to do with him! Always in trouble, he'll be the death of me!" Everyone was silent as they waited for Helen to finish cooking supper. When she was done she set everything on the table and said a quick grace, then they all ate.

The house always felt empty when they were silent. It made the fact that Arthur and Peter were missing more evident. Once supper was over Susan and Lucy went and did the dishes while Edmund read a rather thick book and Helen read the paper, and still not a word was spoken. An hour later Lucy bid everyone goodnight; it wasn't that she was tired; she just couldn't stand another moment of the deafening silence. It wasn't long before Susan and then Edmund followed her. Helen sat in the living room waiting for what seemed like forever. She was not only angry at her oldest son, but also worried for his safety. This was not the time to be staying out at all hours. It was well past midnight before the front door opened. It was clear that the person coming in did not want to be heard, but was stumbling in the door. Helen stood up and waited with her hands on her hips for her son to enter the living room. When he saw her he froze in shock.

"Really Peter, have you been drinking?" She asked him angrily. The blond boy turned around and moved back in the direction of the door. "Peter Arthur Pevensie, if you so much as _think_ about leaving so help me God!" She screamed at him. Again he turned to face her. "Get in there." She pointed to the living room, for the first time in a long time he did as he was told. "Sit." He sat down hard on the armchair. "Now you stay there and you listen! I have had it with this attitude of yours. I will not have you in this house anymore if you are going to set such an atrocious example for your brother and sisters! This cannot go on any longer! I don't know what you have going on in that head of yours, but it needs to stop and it needs to stop _now_!" She took a deep breath. "Don't think I don't know about the fights and at the moment it is clear you've been drinking. If you don't get your act together I will act on the advice Lieutenant Jude gave me. I will send you away to school early if this doesn't change." As Helen screamed she got louder and louder, and all Peter did was stare blankly at her. It was clear that his alcohol clouded brain was incapable of neither understanding nor taking to heart her pleas. Finally Helen gave up and took a deep breath. "Get to bed, and do not wake up your siblings." She said before she turned away from him, "And don't even think about going out tomorrow. As of now you are under house arrest." Helen walked up the stairs and went into the room she had shared with her husband until he went off to war. Picking up the picture on the bedside table she felt tears prickle her eyes. "Oh Arthur what am I going to do with the boy?" She whispered as she laid her head on her pillow and cried.


End file.
